preview

Can Literature Be Taught in the ESL Classroom

Better Essays

Of all the issues arise in the literary world, my focus would be on the fundamental issue of whether literature can be taught in the ESL classroom or not. It had become a forefront debate for so long that it remained a perplexing concern among educators. Some educators might think that English should be mastered first before introducing the literature but some will say literature is the one that actually can enhance the language mastery. In Malaysia, the changing of policy in teaching literature in ESL classroom is obviously seen. In The Star, (Wednesday, April 28, 2010), Dr Mohamad Abu Bakar, from Education Ministry Curriculum’s Development Centre said that it was a ‘fresh approach’ when graphic novels were introduced to the lower secondary students. He also believed the new texts for upper secondary; Flipping Fantastic by Jane Langford and Qwertyuiop by Vivien Alcook were more appealing to compare with the old selections; John Steinbeck’s The Pearl, Keris Mas’ Jungle Of Hope or K.S. Maniam’s The Return. All these changes are in the hope to inculcate the reading culture among students as well as improving the proficiency of Malaysian students in English. Does this work? Personally, I believe that language and literature are inseparable. There is a strong relationship between these two that they actually influence each other in terms of disciplines of the language. In one of the articles I am referring to, it is said that literature is one of the most motivating resource

Get Access